Bulog scandal defendants placed under city arrest

Bulog scandal defendants placed under city arrest

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

For the sake of equality before the law, the Central Jakarta
District Court ordered the release from detention on Friday of
two defendants in the financial scandal involving the State
Logistics Agency (Bulog).

But unlike their high-profile co-defendants in the case, Akbar
Tandjung and Rahardi Ramelan, the judges, while deciding to
release Dadang Sukandar and Winfried Simatupang from their cells
in the Attorney General's Office, nevertheless ordered them not
to leave Jakarta.

The court argued that it was exercising its discretion in
making the decision as there was a fear that both Dadang and
Winfried would abuse their freedom for the purposes of destroying
evidence, avoiding prosecution or leaving the country.

"We don't want to be reckless in this matter as these
defendants have low profiles. It's a different story with Akbar,
who is well known," explained the court's spokesman Judge Andi
Samsan Nganro, who is also one of the judges handling the case.

Lawyers and relatives of the two defendants have repeatedly
appealed to the judges to have the detention orders lifted over
the last three months, and said they would guarantee that the
defendants would not attempt to pervert the course of justice if
released.

Main defendant Akbar, who is the House of Representatives
speaker, has already been released from detention.

Akbar, who also chairs the Golkar Party, immediately used his
freedom to visit his constituents across the country.

Dadang, who is the chairman of the Raudlatul Jannah
Foundation, and Winfried, a contractor, are accused of being
involved in the misuse of Rp 40 billion in non-budgetary funds
belonging to Bulog.

The money was supposed to finance a government charity project
in 1999, but many people believe that the funds went into
Golkar's coffers to finance its general election campaign later
that year.

Winfried has returned the money, claiming that, incredibly, he
had forgotten that he had the money in his house. But, he later
told the court that he had returned the money to save Akbar.

Presiding Judge Amiruddin Zakaria, in setting out the grounds
for lifting the detention order, pointed out the need for
equality before the law given that the defendant in a related
case had also been released from detention.

The judge was referring to former Bulog chief Rahardi Ramelan,
who disbursed the money. Rahardi had been detained in Cipinang
Detention Center, but was then released under conditions of city
arrest.

The examination of the defendants before the court is nearing
its end, and only a few more sessions will be held before the
presiding judge brings down the gavel.